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Columbia Police Precinct

Introduction

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In 1925 the City of Seattle built the police precinct on this site. Legend has it that barber Menzo LaPorte, known for his high spirits and fiery temper, once locked a sleeping constable in one of the basement cells - after that the officer always crossed the street when he saw LaPorte coming.

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Backstory and Context

Text-to-speech Audio

This building was built in 1926 but was not the first building to be made on this site. This area as a whole has been home to many civic buildings, and originally the Columbia City Town hall was built on this specific site. The police station was used until 1960 for it's intended purpose when a replacement station was constructed in Georgetown in 1960. Since then, its been the home of the Southeast Youth and Family Services. The building itself is mostly in the condition and design as it was when it was first built in 1926, and remains a significant example of Spanish Revival architecture in Columbia City.

Sources

Elliot Day on behalf of Rainier Valley Historical Society. "Rainier Valley Investment Company." Clio: Your Guide to History. September 23, 2020. Accessed September 29, 2020. https://www.theclio.com/tour/1539/1

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